Turbulent Times: Investigating Temporal Choices In Wartime

Picture a high school graduate confronted with 2 options: searching for a job or pursuing education. The former offers immediate financial gratification: from having pocket money to a full-fledged salary. The latter, however, promises no short-term financial benefit, but has huge potential after 2-3 years of diligent studies. Of course, his decision dependents on many factors like performance on the test, the financial situation of his family, individual ambitions, and cognitive abilities, and many of these are challenging to quantify, yet they, all in their own way affect his decision to ultimately pursue studies. This decision — whether to get a small benefit now or delay for a potentially greater reward later — encapsulates the concept of temporal discounting.